Heather Smith

I'm Heather Smith, I'm 28 and I live in Leeds.   I work full time in the fitness industry, and have done for the last 10 years.   I mainly teach studio classes (Body Pump, Body Attack, Pilates, Aqua, Boxercise, Circuits, Spin, Fitball etc) but also teach Swimming, and Personal Train clients.  

I first wanted to compete because I was sick of my clients saying to me "You don't know what it's like trying to lose weight..... you've never had to lose any."   And they were right - I never had lost any.   I'd always been fit.   So I figured I'd learn exactly how hard it is to lose body fat - all of it - and here I am.

When I was asking people how to go about competing, the same name kept cropping up again and again.... "Ask Ian Duckett."   So I did.   That was possibly the most life changing phone call I've ever had.   I was soon in the gym with Ian, training, asking questions, quizzing him on every aspect of training anatomy and physiology I could think of.   Then came the dieting for the shows.   Ian gave me 100% support throughout.   He worked out my diet around the fact that I'm vegetarian (so he couldn't include meat or fish) and that I hate nuts and seeds, and never tried to make me eat anything I didn't like.   Where there's a will, there's a way.... And we found it!

I first competed in 2006.   I came 2 nd in my first ever show, South East Champs.   I did it for me, just to see if I could.   I hadn't told many people, I just wanted to have a go.   I had 2007 off to get a new kitchen, a new car, (and to eat pizza and cake!)   So this year I've decided to have another go.  

If there's even an inkling of thought that you might want to do it 'one day'.... Make that day today.   Pick up the phone and change your life.   Ian doesn't realise what a big part of people's lives he is, or how honoured we all are to have him in our lives.   He's an amazing Bodybuilder, a fantastic Trainer, and I'm proud to call him a friend.

Heather xx